Keppel Shipyard Ltd. (Keppel Shipyard) has secured Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) upgrading projects from its long-term partners SBM Offshore N.V. (SBM Offshore) and Bumi Armada Berhad (Bumi Armada). The combined contract value of the two projects is S170 million.

The first project is from SBM Offshore to refurbish and upgrade an existing FPSO vessel, FPSO Xikomba. Work on this FPSO unit is expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2013.

Leased by Eni Angola S.p.A (eni) for 12 years for the development of Block 15/06, offshore Angola, FPSO Xikomba is jointly owned by SBM Offshore and Sociedade Nacional de Combustíveis de Angola, E.P. (Sonangol), Angola's national oil and gas company.

"Long-term business partnerships are the key to our performance, our ability to deliver and our ambition in furthering our lead in the FPSO market,” said Bruno Chabas, Chief Executive Officer of SBM Offshore. “We value our proven partnership with Keppel Shipyard. The award of the FPSO Xikomba is another milestone in this deep, long-term relationship."

Keppel Shipyard's scope of work on FPSO Xikomba comprises life extension, refurbishment and upgrading of existing topside modules and turret mooring system, as well as the installation and integration of new topside modules. The FPSO vessel will subsequently proceed to Angola for completion.

Keppel Shipyard's second project is to modify and upgrade Bumi Armada's FPSO Armada Claire. This includes refurbishment and life extension works, as well as installation and integration of topside modules. Work is expected to commence in the third quarter of 2012, and complete in the fourth quarter of 2013.

Upon completion, FPSO Armada Claire will be deployed in the Balnaves Field, northwest Australia.

Since 2000, Keppel has delivered 14 FPSO/FSO conversion projects to SBM Offshore. Keppel Shipyard's ongoing projects with SBM Offshore include FPSO OSX 2, FPSO Cidade de Paraty and FPSO Cidade de Anchieta.

In 2011, Keppel Shipyard delivered FPSO Armada TGT 1 and FSO Sepat to Bumi Armada. It is presently working with Bumi Armada on the D1 FPSO conversion project.